


Line In The Sand

by katling



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Fairly Fluffy, Fluff, Love Confessions, M/M, Mentions of Blood, Minor Injuries, implications of blood magic, yes despite all that
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-19
Updated: 2018-05-25
Packaged: 2019-02-04 11:49:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12770466
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/katling/pseuds/katling
Summary: When Dorian is taken, Blackwall goes to get him back. He's forgotten to tell him something important after all.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Earlgreyer](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Earlgreyer/gifts).



> Written for Earlgreyer for the Black Emporium Fan Exchange 2017. I hope you enjoy it!

Blackwall sank his sword into the chest of a Venatori mage that was still moving. The man would have died anyway but Blackwall was feeling merciful. Or perhaps not so merciful as the man coughed blood and groaned in agony as he finally died. He cleaned his sword on the Venatori mage’s fancy robes then swept his gaze over the battlefield to make sure that there was no one left alive. Once he was sure of that, he headed over to where he’d left Dorian.

The mage was still sitting where Blackwall had left him, huddled among the roots of a huge tree, his arms wrapped around his chest and staring blankly at the ground. He was shivering uncontrollably and he didn’t seem to have noticed Blackwall’s approach.

Blackwall sank the tip of his sword into the ground then knelt down in front of Dorian. He reached out carefully and placed one hand gently on the mage’s arm. Dorian still flinched at his touch nonetheless and Blackwall stayed completely still until the man’s eyes stuttered up and met his. There was a dark despair and a lost look in those eyes but they sharpened slightly as Dorian kept staring at him.

“Blackwall.” Dorian’s voice was hoarse and rasping and he stopped almost immediately and coughed. He’d been screaming when Blackwall finally found the Venatori encampment and from the sound of his voice both then and now, he’d been screaming for some time.

Blackwall dug out his water skin and uncapped it, holding it out. “Here.”

Dorian took the skin with shaking hands and water spilled as he tried to raise it to his lips. Blackwall gently cupped his hands with his own and guided the spout of the skin to Dorian’s mouth. The fact that Dorian made no complaint and simply sucked the water down eagerly sent a stab of worry through Blackwall.

“Easy now,” he said, his voice a low rumble. “Don’t want to make yourself sick.”

Dorian nodded and started taking smaller sips of the water. Blackwall let out a small sigh of relief at that sign of comprehension and once he was sure Dorian’s hands were steadier, he let the man take the water skin on his own. He then dug out the small medical kit he’d grabbed from the healers before he’d left and placed it beside him. He then held out one hand.

“Let me see your arm.”

Dorian stopped drinking immediately and stared at him warily. Blackwall didn’t say anything, just waited patiently with his hand out. Finally Dorian gingerly reached out and rested his hand in Blackwall’s hand. Blackwall turned Dorian’s arm over and began to remove the makeshift bandage he’d put on it when he’d first rescued Dorian. The mage hissed and twitched as the rough material dragged over the wounds and Blackwall gentled his touch a little more.

“I’m not delicate!” Dorian snapped, his other hand wrapped tightly around the spout of the water skin. He didn’t make any move to get away from Blackwall though so he wasn’t concerned. If anything, he was relieved and pleased to see some of Dorian’s normal manner.

“I know,” he said simply as he pulled away the last of the bandage. He discarded the bloody cloth and started cleaning the long thin slices that ran along the length of Dorian’s forearm. He was glad for the work because he found that he hadn’t actually expended all of his anger on the Venatori. But this required him to concentrate and Dorian’s health was far more important than his own anger and desire for a little revenge.

He’d never intended to get involved with anyone in the Inquisition, let alone a fancy popinjay like Dorian, but it was amazing what being trapped in a small cabin in the Hinterlands during a three day snow storm could do. Once they’d stopped sniping at each other and started actually talking, they’d found each other far more interesting than either of them had expected. It might have gone no further than an unlikely friendship but then the debacle with Mornay and the revelation of his truth had occurred. Dorian had been one of the few in Skyhold who hadn’t turned his back on him and it was in the aftermath, before the others began to slowly make their way back, that their friendship deepened into romance.

Not that either of them had admitted yet how they felt about each other. Blackwall knew that Dorian had a bad past and was afraid of being rejected if he admitted to deeper emotions. But he also knew what the word ‘Amatus’ meant, courtesy of Krem, so he had a fair idea anyway. For his part, Blackwall knew how he felt but had been delaying saying anything, afraid that if he did, it would be taken away. He snorted to himself. It… _Dorian_ … had nearly been taken away from him without that admission. It seemed a stupid reason to delay now that he’d had his world shaken.

“Thom.”

Blackwall looked up in surprise. Dorian very rarely called him by his true name. He always said he preferred Blackwall since he had been Blackwall when they met and Blackwall when they’d become friends. Blackwall didn’t mind either name but… Thom Rainier was a man with a great deal of shame in his background whereas Blackwall was a man who was doing his best to do good. He knew which one he preferred and he suspected Dorian understood his reasoning for sticking with the name. Maybe one day he’d go back to Thom Rainier but not just yet.

“Aye, love,” he said before he could think better of it.

Dorian was silent and when he glanced up, he saw the mage was staring at him with wide, startled eyes. He gave a small smile and spared a moment from his ministrations to brush his fingers along Dorian’s cheek. The smile he got in return was small and so very beautiful as to make Blackwall’s heart ache. It also made him want to hunt down Dorian’s past lovers and pound them into the ground for neglecting this man and refusing to give him the affection he deserved.

“Are they dead?” Dorian said after clearing his throat a couple of times.

Blackwall nodded. “Yes.”

“All of them?”

“Every single damn one.”

Dorian let out a shuddering sigh. “Good.” He locked his lips. “Are you in trouble?”

Blackwall’s gaze flicked up again before he returned his attention to what he was doing. “No, though the Inquisitor is a tad peeved at me.” He chuckled softly. “I may have been less than diplomatic about telling her than I was going to get you, no matter what she did or said.”

He heard Dorian’s breath hitch and looked up to see a desolate look in the man’s eyes. He correctly divined what that meant and leaned in to give him a quick kiss.

“She was organising a rescue party,” he said. “And Josephine was hard pressed to talk her down from the rude note she intended to send your father.”

Dorian frowned. “My… father?”

“The scouts caught a man near where you were taken,” Blackwall continued. He didn’t try and hesitate or sugar coat this. Dorian wouldn’t appreciate it and it was probably better to get it all out now, like tearing off a bandage. “He was one of your father’s men. Your father had sought help from the Venatori. They could have whatever information they could get from you as long as they left you alive and… suitable.”

Dorian’s breath hitched and Blackwall quickly tied off the last of the new, far better bandage he’d been applying. He then pulled Dorian into his arms. The mage fought him for a moment then he sagged into Blackwall’s embrace and he could feel the way his lover’s breath was hitching as he buried his face into the crook of his neck.

“Trevelyan can be as rude as she likes,” Dorian said, his voice muffled.

Blackwall chuckled. “I agree. But Josephine doesn’t want to give him any warning about Leliana’s plans.”

Dorian raised his head. His eyes were wet but his expression was troubled. “She’s not…”

“She’s not planning on killing him,” Blackwall said. “She felt that even now, you wouldn’t want that. But she does intend to make his life a misery.”

That got a twitch of Dorian’s lips. “Good,” he said. “Just… leave my mother out of it. The marriage wasn’t her choice and she… she wasn’t a very good mother but she… she’s the reason I escaped the first time round.”

Blackwall nodded. “I’ll let her know.” He cradled Dorian’s face with one hand, brushing his thumb along his cheek before leaning in to give him a gentle kiss. “Now, shall we get out of here?”

Dorian gave him a tremulous smile. “Yes. Take me home.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is a direct follow-up to the previous chapter... and also the reason why the rating has gone up to Explicit. :D

Dorian arched his back and moaned wantonly as Blackwall cursed and panted and fucked into him with hard, relentless thrusts. Dorian’s hands gripped tightly at his lover’s shoulders, leaving bruises that would match the ones that were surely forming on his hips and thighs from Blackwall’s hands as they spread him wide. Dorian was long past the stage of being able to form words and now all he could manage were whimpers and moans and small sounds of want and _need_ that spurred Blackwall on if the frantic, almost brutal fucking was any indication.

Dorian abruptly cried out and his fingers dug hard into the skin of Blackwall’s shoulders as he came, his release splattering, warm and wet, over his stomach and chest. Blackwall fucked him through his orgasm then the man gripped his hips tight and bucked hard into him as he too came. Blackwall then slumped down on top of him bonelessly, burying his face in the crook of his neck where Dorian could feel the man’s beard and moustache scratching gently as kiss after kiss was pressed into whatever skin Blackwall could reach.

When they finally moved, it was only far enough for Blackwall to clean them up before they crawled under the soft blankets on the bed and Dorian burrowed into Blackwall’s warm and solid embrace, curling his injured arm protectively between them. They were in a hunting lodge, loaned to the Inquisition by some eager Orlesian noble. Dorian didn’t really care much about the details, only that the bed was soft, that he was surrounded by Inquisition soldiers and that he could hide here in Blackwall’s arms until he’d mustered enough strength to put on his usual façade again. Unlike times past, he wasn’t sure how long that was going to take. It was one thing to know your father disapproved of you, quite another to find out the lengths he was willing to go – and the depths to which he was willing to plunge – in order to get his way.

“Thank you,” he whispered after a long silence.

Blackwall pressed a kiss to his forehead that made him smile just a little. “No need to thank me, love. I’ll always come for you.” He paused and chuckled. “Even when you don’t want me to.”

Dorian gave a soft huff that in better times might have been a laugh. “I shall argue quite vociferously when that occurs.”

“And I’ll ignore you just as firmly,” Blackwall replied, his smile obvious in his voice.

Dorian gave another of those little huffs and nuzzled his nose against Blackwall’s beard. As much as he pretended to loathe that bushy beard, he just loved the feel of it against his skin. He was sure Blackwall knew that but the man had thus far had the good grace not to call Dorian on his sarcastic comments.

Finally he gathered the courage to voice the uncertainty that was lingering deep in his heart. “Are we safe here?” He wanted to feel ashamed at the way his voice wobbled and wavered but he couldn’t, not here, with only Blackwall to hear it.

“We’re safe, love,” Blackwall said soothingly. “Not sure if you noticed it but the soldiers with us are ready to kill on your behalf. And if they fail, no one is going to get past me.”

He should scoff and spit out sceptical and sarcastic words but… he _wanted_ to believe Blackwall and he _did_ have the fact that his lover had slaughtered every single person who had been holding him to support that belief. So he let himself believe and gave a shuddering sigh and let his exhaustion take hold and drag him down into sleep.

He woke up much later to the rumbling sound of Blackwall’s voice from the other side of the room. He frowned and let himself wake a little further to listen to what was being said.

“How is he?” It was Trevelyan’s voice and Dorian listened closer, hoping that everything Blackwall had said about her was true.

“Hurt. And more than just physically,” Blackwall said tersely.

“How bad?” Trevelyan sounded genuinely concerned and that eased Dorian’s worry just a little.

“Physically? A bad cut on his arm,” Blackwall said. “I’ve bound it but I’d appreciate it if you’d take a look at it.”

“And heal it?” Trevelyan said kindly.

“If you would.”

“Of course. What else?”

Blackwall sighed. “His father handed him over to the Venatori for them to use blood magic on him. It took us just long enough to find where they were holding him for them to start the ritual and for him to think we weren’t coming for him.”

“Oh,” Trevelyan said, her dismay obvious. “He didn’t think we’d come for him? _Why_? He… he has to know he’s one of my best friends? Doesn’t he?”

The devastation in Trevelyan’s voice was enough to make him sit up and turn towards them. They were both looking back at him, Blackwall with quiet concern and Trevelyan with one of the most tragic expressions he’d ever seen on her face.

“Oh, _Dorian_ ,” Trevelyan said then she broke and rushed over. She crawled onto the bed to throw her arms around him as Blackwall chuckled softly. “I’d never abandon you. _Never_! _Please_ believe that.”

Dorian shuddered then slowly brought his arms up to return her hug. He buried his face in her shoulder in an effort to keep the tears that were threatening at bay. 

“I…” His voice was croaky and muffled and he cleared his throat and raised his head to look at her. “I do now.” He winced at the look on her face. “Evelyn… I… no one has ever cared enough to come for me before.”

“Well, they will _now_ and _always_ ,” she said firmly. “You’re my friend and you’re a member of the Inquisition. You’ll never be abandoned again!”

That finally broke Dorian and he hugged her tightly as the tears escaped him. Her arms were tight around him and she was making soothing noises and alternating them with whispered promises that he was her _friend_ and she would never let anyone ever hurt him again. Dorian pressed his face into the crook of her neck and didn’t raise his head again until he felt Blackwall’s large, warm hand on his back.

“Look at what the pair of you have done to me. You’ve turned me into a blubbering, sodden mess,” he complained in a fair facsimile of his usual manner, though from the fondly indulgent expressions on Blackwall and Trevelyan’s faces he was far from convincing.

“Well, you’ve let me cry all over you a few times,” Evelyn said with a smile. “So I figure I can return the favour.”

Her eyes fell to his bare torso then and her gaze sharpened in a sudden dangerous way. Dorian suddenly regretted not purloining Backwall’s shirt as he so often did but he’d wanted to feel his lover’s skin against his own last night. Her fingers brushed gently over some of the bruises the Venatori had left on his chest and arms and she looked utterly furious.

“Are you sure they’re all dead?” she demanded of Blackwall.

He nodded. “Every single damn one of them.” He paused. “I did free the slaves that were there as well. The staff here are looking after them.”

“Hmph,” she said, looking a little disappointed. “Well then, I’ll just tell Cullen that missions against the Venatori get raised in priority.”

“You’re going to meddle with Cullen’s carefully maintained system?” Dorian said, feeling more settled now. “He’ll get all cross and grumpy.”

Evelyn suddenly grinned and affected a very winsome look and batted her eyes. “Oh, but I’ll just ask him _ever_ so nicely.”

Dorian stared at her then burst out laughing, leaning into Blackwall as he did. “Oh, you manipulative little minx! No wonder he always looks so pole-axed after he’s met with you.”

Evelyn laughed. “Well… he does the same thing to _me_! He’s all bashful and tripping over his feet then I’ll say something encouraging and he’ll be all _rawr_ and I go weak at the knees, Dorian. Weak. At. The. Knees. And the way that man can kiss… Oh, _Dorian_.”

She sighed and fanned herself and Dorian laughed at her, enjoying the normality and not having to think about what had happened. He knew he would have to eventually _and_ he’d have to tell the Advisors what had happened but he didn’t have to now and Evelyn was willing to indulge him and Blackwall would never push.

“Now,” Evelyn said, sobering a little. “Let me have a look at this.”

She gestured for his arm and when he held it out, she gently undid the bandage. She scowled for a moment at the cut then placed her hand over it and let her magic flow into it to heal it. Once she was done, there was only a thin pale line left behind that was barely noticeable.

“Thank you,” he said softly.

“Always,” she replied as she leaned forward and kissed his cheek. “Now, I have to get back to Skyhold before Leliana and Cullen manage to convince Josephine that invading Tevinter is a good idea.” She paused. “Not that I disagree with them but Josie does go on about _priorities_ all the time and I’ve learned to listen to that finally. I’ll leave you in Blackwall’s capable hands.”

She kissed his cheek again then jumped off the bed and hurried out of the room. Dorian watched her go then leaned into Blackwall again.

“Well?” he said.

“I think invading Tevinter’s not a bad idea either,” Blackwall replied and Dorian laughed.

“I’m not sure I disagree right now,” he said with a sigh. “It’d be one way to sort out the problems there.”

“Maybe we can do that after we finish with this Breach thing,” Blackwall replied, the quirk of his smile saying he was only partially serious.

Dorian managed a small laugh then he curled into his lover. “Can we stay here for a while?”

“As long as you need.”

Dorian smiled again, even though he knew Blackwall couldn’t see it. He knew it wasn’t realistic, that they would _need_ to return to Skyhold sooner rather than later but right now, he was happy to just exist here without thinking about the wider world.


End file.
